Vegas Golden Knights create salary cap space, ship Evgenii Dadonov, 33, to Anaheim Ducks
The Knights shipped Dadonov and a conditional second-round pick to Anaheim for defenseman John Moore and the contract of retired forward Ryan Kesler. The Ducks will select to receive Vegas’ second-round pick in either 2023 or 2024.
Dadonov, who had a limited no-trade clause, is in the second year of a three-year deal and carries a $5 million cap hit. Moore was acquired by the Ducks from the Boston Bruins in the Hampus Lindholm trade on March 19. Currently injured, his contract will be buried in the American Hockey League, but costs the Knights $1.625 million in cap space.
Kesler’s contract is in its last season. He last appeared in the NHL in the 2018-19 season, and the Knights will move his contract to long-term injured reserve where it won’t count against the salary cap.
Overall, the Knights cleared $3.375 million in salary cap space. They have several players out of the lineup due to injury and illness, including Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Robin Lehner, Reilly Smith, Alec Martinez and Brayden McNabb.
Dadonov has 27 points in 62 games this season for the Knights, who acquired him for a 2022 third-round pick and defenseman Nick Holden in July 2021.